The present invention is directed to a coupling and, more specifically, to a flexible drive coupling for a self-powered rail type of mass transit vehicle.
Flexible drive couplings connecting a shaft to a rotary driving member in which the shaft and the axis of rotation of the rotary driving member are normally in axial alignment but capable of being axially misaligned are known. Drive couplings of the type to which the present invention is directed which have been proposed for use in transit vehicles are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 567,560 to E. J. Bagnall and U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,096 to U. Kayserling. Flexible drive couplings are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 268,807 to F. F. Landis, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,242,694 and 3,791,170 to R. Schmidt.